Keuchel Named to American League All-Star Game

HOUSTON, TX - Major League Baseball announced tonight that Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel has been named to the 2015 American League All-Star team. The AL and National League pitchers and reserves were announced tonight. Keuchel joins second baseman Jose Altuve and manager A.J. Hinch on the 2015 AL All-Star Team. Altuve was named the AL's starting second baseman last night, while Hinch was named to the AL's coaching staff last month.

Keuchel, 27, who is making his first All-Star team, entered today with a 10-3 record and a 2.03 ERA (28ER/124.1IP) with three complete games in 17 starts this season. He leads all Major League pitchers in innings pitched, while ranking first in the AL in ERA, tied for first in wins and in complete games and second in opponents' batting average (.196). According to Baseball-Reference, Keuchel leads all American League pitchers in WAR (4.6) and ranks third in the Majors in that category, trailing only National League right-handers Zack Greinke (4.8) and Max Scherzer (4.7).

Keuchel becomes the first Astros pitcher to make the All-Star Team since Roy Oswalt did so in 2007. He's the first Astros lefty to make it since Billy Wagner in 2003 and the first Astros left-handed starter to make it since Mike Hampton in 1999. 

While the starting pitcher for the All-Star Game is yet to be determined, Keuchel has pitched himself into the conversation. In franchise history, the Astros have only had three pitchers start an All-Star Game: Roger Clemens (2004), Mike Scott (1987) and J.R. Richard (1980).

Keuchel will be joined on the field by Altuve, who was named the AL's starting second baseman last night. This marks the first time that Altuve has been elected to start an All-Star Game and his third All-Star selection overall (also in 2012, 2014). Altuve is just the seventh player (10th overall) in Astros history to earn a fan-elected start, and the first to do so since first baseman Lance Berkman in 2008.

Prior to this season, the last time the Astros had two All-Stars in a season was in 2009 when Hunter Pence and Miguel Tejada were both NL All-Stars. The last time the Astros had a pitcher and position player on the same All-Star team was when Carlos Lee joined Oswalt on the NL squad in 2007.

Joining Keuchel and Altuve in Cincinnati next week will be Hinch, who was named to the AL's coaching staff by manager Ned Yost last month. This will be the first All-Star coaching assignment for Hinch, who is the first Astros manager to be named to an All-Star staff since Jimy Williams in 2004. That All-Star Game was hosted by the Astros at Minute Maid Park. In 2006, Astros manager Phil Garner served as the manager of the NL All-Star squad and was joined by his coaching staff for the game.

The 2015 All-Star Game will be played at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday, July 14. The 86th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network, MLB.com and Sirius XM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. 

-ASTROS-